Euro automakers get their speed freak on at LA Auto Show

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto show in Los Angeles, California on media preview day, November 28, 2012.

Robyn Beck, AFP/Getty Images

New 2013 Volkswagen Beetle convertibles are on display after it was revealed during the Los Angeles Auto show on November 29, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

by
Brian Harper, National Post | November 29, 2012

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Los Angeles — Other automakers may have been catering to the greener sensibilities that seem to affect Californians, not to mention a country with a large customer base still recovering from the effects of the recession, a number of the European automakers got their speed freak on, showcasing unbridled horsepower in sleek, expensive machines and letting everybody know with these world premieres that it’s OK to unleash their inner motor head.

BMW i3 Concept Coupe

The premiere of the i3 Concept Coupe sees BMW unveil a closer-to-production version of its idea for sustainable "premium-class" motoring with zero local emissions. The first-ever all-electric model from the BMW i brand is scheduled for public consumption some time next year.

The i3 Concept Coupe, BMW says, represents a "pioneering form of urban mobility that emphasizes sustainability awareness" while also conveying a sense of driving fun.

Like the earlier i3 Concept, the Coupe is powered by an electric motor that develops 170 horsepower and peak torque of 184 pound-feet, channelling its power delivery to the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission. The electric motor draws its energy from lithium-ion storage cells under the floor. BMW says positioning the battery units there has the effect of lowering the i3’s centre of gravity considerably, which further adds to the vehicle’s agile handling.

BMW says the Concept Coupe sprints from zero to 60 kilometres an hour in less than four seconds, and to 100 km/h in less than eight seconds – with a top speed of 150 km/h. Torque is available across a wide rpm range, resulting in very smooth power delivery.

Jaguar XFR-S

There’s nothing green about the new Jaguar XFR-S – the British luxury carmaker hypes the XFR-S as the fastest and most powerful sedan it has ever produced. With just 100 being offered for the 2014 model year in the U.S. market, the 550-horsepower, supercharged 5.0L V8-powered XFR-S – the second model in the ultra-high-performance R-S range – is obviously exclusive.

This 40-hp bump in the power department over the XFR gives the big sedan serious street cred – zero to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and an electronically limited top end of 300 km/h. To go with the added urge, the XFR-S gets a beefed-up ZF eight-speed transmission with paddle shifters and automatic throttle blipping on downshifts.

Both front and rear suspension systems have been uprated and tuned. Overall lateral suspension stiffness has been increased by 30% front and rear, with front and rear spring rates increased by the same amount. At the rear, a new subframe – with the suspension mods – helps increase stability and response.

The XFR-S is distinguished from the XFR by subtle design changes such as a new, deeper front bumper incorporating larger lower central and side air intakes – the former framed in carbon fibre. Carbon fibre is also used to form the front splitter at the lower edge of the bumper. The extended side sills and aero blade moulding behind the front wheels serve to create a sharp break-off point between the lower bodywork and the road surface in order to keep the airflow attached to the car’s sides for as long as possible.

Porsche Cayman

The world’s worst kept secret – Porsche would only say that a world premiere of "a compact sports car" would take place at the auto show – manifested itself in the new Cayman. As its droptop sibling, the third-generation Boxster, made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show early this year, the Cayman’s reveal came as no surprise.

That’s not to say the unveiling was anti-climactic; the 2014 Cayman is as stunning as its convertible kin. Sleek in profile and proportionately perfect, the new coupe boasts the same attributes as the Boxster. It is lower and longer, lighter and faster, more efficient and more powerful than ever. It weighs less than the previous model and rides on a longer wheelbase and a wider track. And, like the Boxster, the Cayman gets that gorgeous indentation in the door, which guides the air to the intake in the rear side section.

As before, there are two versions of the Cayman – the base model and the higher-performance S. Both are powered by flat-six engines with direct fuel injection and are now enhanced by electrical system recuperation, thermal management and a start/stop function. The base model sees a 2.7L six under its engine cover, delivering 275 hp – 10 hp more than its 2.9L predecessor. The Cayman S’s 3.4L flat-six sees its output bumped to 325 hp, also 10 hp more than last year.

Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe Black Series

As if the SLS AMG sports car is not powerful and extroverted enough, Mercedes-AMG now offers a "super sports car" version of the gull-wing model – the 2014 SLS AMG Coupe Black Series. Inspired by the GT3 racing version, the fifth Black Series model from Mercedes-AMG boasts, the automaker says, superb driving dynamics and new lightweight construction. With a curb weight of 1,550 kilograms, the Black Series achieves a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.45 kg/horsepower. The 6.2L V8 engine pounds out 631 hp at 7,400 rpm and, Mercedes says, will accelerate the Black Series to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds. The engine is mated to an enhanced AMG SpeedShift DCT seven-speed transmission.

To pare down the car’s weight, numerous body pieces are now made from carbon fibre. A number of parts on the aluminum spaceframe have also been replaced by carbon-fibre components. Also, a lithium-ion battery, used in place of the conventional starter battery, saves an additional eight kilograms.

First there was the original Beetle Convertible (Type 15), launched in 1949; then the New Beetle Cabriolet of 2002. Now there’s the third generation of the curvaceous Volkswagen soft-top. In creating this latest model, VW has reinterpreted the past. The combination of a flatter roofline and the more upright windshield gives the car a silhouette that resembles the original Beetle Convertible, and now incorporates a fully automated soft-top mechanism that opens in 11.5 seconds.

As in the hardtop, the 2013 convertible’s dashboard features body-coloured inserts, and the colour scheme continues throughout the interior.

The only engine offered for Canada is the 2.5L five-cylinder, which delivers 170 hp and excellent fuel economy, and is mated to a six-speed Tiptronic manumatic.

The convertible includes all of the modern safety systems including Volkswagen’s Intelligent Crash Response System, which unlocks the doors, turns on the hazard lights, and shuts down the fuel system in certain types of collisions. Rollover protection is supplemented by reinforced A-pillars and two concealed rollover bars, which are computer-controlled and activate in milliseconds.

Additional standard features include Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, a rear spoiler, a 50/50-split rear seat and more. The Beetle Convertible is expected to be in Canadian dealerships in February. Read the full preview in next week’s Post Driving issue.